Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of a €1 increase to the household benefits gas or electricity payment. [31189/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €308 million this year on the Household Benefits Package.

The estimate provided is based on an implementation date of January 2026 with an estimated 537,000 recipients of the electricity or gas element of the Household Benefits Package in 2026. Based on these assumptions, the estimated cost of a €1 increase to the electricity/gas element is as follows:

It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.

The provision of any additional supports such as those outlined by the Deputy, would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

I trust that this clarifies these matters for the Deputy.